Random Musings

On Thursday, Feb. 20th I attended the Technical Review of our local Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam Program participants, DeSales High School. The Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams Program provides grants to high school teams each year so they can invent technical solutions to real-world problems.

Find out how and find out how we know that!

The Universe used to be filled with hot, dense matter, smoothly distributed across a rapidly expanding space. How did that become the complex Universe of clustered stars and galaxies that we see today? That complexity includes humans who can figure out the history and future of the Universe by careful observations that bridge its vast distances and enormous age!

On February 13th, Ms. Willis’ preschool classroom from Arlington Park Elementary visited COSI and participated in the Field Trip Workshop, At the Park. During this program, children were able to explore activities that relate to what they may see, notice, or discover when they are outside at the park, at school, or in their neighborhood. Children were able to explore weather including wind and rainfall, construction of playspaces, and colors of nature. Take a look at children’s explorations below!

Here, children are exploring water: rainfall, splashing, and puddles. What happens when water falls to the ground? Can you make splashes in the water? What does that sound like?

Participating in inquiry learning, toddlers today at our Toddler workshop, Hops, Slithers, and Crawls, were exposed to animals that hop, slither, and crawl. Children and their adult enjoyed a short story and songs, then visited open exploration activity centers.